Potatonator or DA ?

05-09-2014, 07:30 PM

hi all,

Am surfing thigh to shoulder high weak waves most of the time. Can't really decide whether to go for a 506 Potatonator or DA at this moment. I am 5'8, 65 kg and currently riding a Spitfire which works better when it is chest to shoulder or head high. Basically I am looking for a board for the lower end of the waves I surf in.

The DA looks like one of those thick and chunky boards but reviews suggest that it is forgiving and also turns well. The Potatonator however is said to be a very user friendly board. Any advise ? Can anyone who has ridden the Potatonator and DA shed some light on this ?

Mate go the potatonator. They are the best boards. Of you surfing weak waves throw in the quads. You'll get a heap of speed and you'll be able to throw the thing around. I love mine. I'm 5'11 and I ride a 5'4 potatonator. Paddles great and turns on a dime

hey clifton,
you probably have picked the best two models for your needs. look at the potatonator as kind of skatey little board that planes super well. the double agent has the same things going, but with the deeper double concave, this one likes to carve a little bit more, and the round tail give it a good bit of control. They are both for generally the same waves but have slightly different undertones, each slightly more suitable for different sets of preferences...

hope that helps to differentiate a bit.

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Hey Cliffton After getting my DA, sold/selling both my potatonators. Didn't think I would ever get rid of them. But they seemed to stagnate a bit after riding the Tommos and tried the DA for the bottom end of the quiver. Magic board that I choose between it and the Vg for anything up to overhead. It can do anything the PN can do but so much more. A sad time, farewell PN's

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Unfortunately I do not have such privilege to try boards before buying them. Anyway, I do know someone who is riding the PN at my local break. Probably I can get more input from there.
Thanks for the advise.

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The PN is a well-tested small wave ripper. The DA is new, and people love it so far, but it does not have the same reputation for grovellers quite yet that the potato series as established over the years (though it is getting there quickly). The DA is a great small wave board as it offers supreme turning and preciseness, whereas the PN gives more of a loose, free flow feeling. Both are fantastic groveller options, so I really don't think you can go wrong here.

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The PN is a well-tested small wave ripper. The DA is new, and people love it so far, but it does not have the same reputation for grovellers quite yet that the potato series as established over the years (though it is getting there quickly). The DA is a great small wave board as it offers supreme turning and preciseness, whereas the PN gives more of a loose, free flow feeling. Both are fantastic groveller options, so I really don't think you can go wrong here.

hi Josh,

This is brilliant advice. I think I am more into the Potatonator for now.
Thanks to everyone for helping out.

With the DA's highly curved planshape compared to the straighter railed potatonator I'm curious as to whether the DA needs to be turned constantly or will it happily run a high line speed blur like a wound up potatonator?
I know I've run completely off the back of a wave on my potatonator and then turned back onto it and kept going.
I'm looking for the DA to offer up more paddle speed (like a potatonator) since riding a baked potato at the same favoured volume for me means the DA would be 9''s longer than the baked.